High resolution near-field thermoacoustic sensing and imaging

该提案考虑建立有关以前未记录的近场热声（NFT）技术的基础知识，以开发一种新的传感模式，可以促进我们对亚细胞、细胞和组织水平电磁吸收机制和用途的理解。近场技术导致介观（30-200微米）和超高（<5-10微米）成像分辨率，其可以1）直接测量细胞和组织中的电磁（EM）能量沉积和效应，2）解析细胞/细胞区室和组织内的介电特性和效应，3）研究内在高分辨率组织对比度或外部施用的（帕拉）磁和（用作造影剂的半）导电颗粒。该提案预见了1）混合NFT和荧光显微镜的发展，以及2）与传统超声成像相结合的组织成像NFT系统。然后，它认为电声和磁声对比机制的独立研究。最后研究了三个应用领域，即1）使用荧光标记在细胞和亚细胞水平上直接测量EM沉积以及观察可能的生物效应，2）产生以高分辨率实验测量组织中的EM能量沉积和介电性质的方法，以及3）开发用于医疗应用的便携式感测和成像模态，特别是在床边或护理点。

This proposal considers building fundamental knowledge on previously undocumented near-field thermoacoustic (NFT) technology for the development of a new sensing modality that can advance our understanding on the mechanisms and uses of electromagnetic absorption at the sub-cellular, cellular and tissue levels. Near-field technology leads to mesoscopic (30-200 micron) and to ultra-high (<5-10 micron) imaging resolution, which can 1) directly measure electro-magnetic (EM) energy deposition and effects in cells and tissues, 2) resolve dielectric properties and effects within cells/cellular compartments and tissues and 3) study intrinsic high resolution tissue contrast or extrinsically administered (para-) magnetic and (semi-)conductive particles used as contrast agents. The proposal foresees the development of 1) hybrid NFT and fluorescence microscopy and 2) a tissue imaging NFT system coupled with conventional ultrasound imaging. It then considers the independent study of electro-acoustic and magneto-acoustic contrast mechanisms. Finally it researches three application areas, i.e. 1) the direct measurement of EM depositions at the cellular and sub-cellular level and the observation of possible biological effects, using fluorescent tags, 2) the generation of methods to experimentally measure EM energy deposition and dielectric properties in tissues in high resolution and 3) the development of a portable sensing and imaging modality for medical applications in particular in bed-side or point of care.